to a serial killer. Mainly because no bodies have ever been uncovered. [27] In 2010, Spingola published Predators on the Parkway, a 29-page magazine article that detailed his findings.[28]. The killer tried unsuccessfully to set it on fire. "He was always washing it, his sister, Joyce Call-Canada, told The Virginian Pilot. This section is going to be macabre, scatological, and disturbing. EXCLUSIVE: Bill Thomas is adamant that in his lifetime, hell find out the identity of his sisters murderer. A small caveat before we spring forth into the latest horror room, the third couples link to the Parkway Murders is somewhat debatable. Once more, there were no signs of sexual assault or robbery. Annamaria Phelps, 18, and Daniel Lauer, 21, were not a romantic couple. She had everything going for her. Was The Colonial Parkway Killer Pretending To Be Law Enforcement? ET on Oxygen. Unlike OConnell, Coombs doesnt see the work of a serial killer. Justice is found here. The burden gets a little easier, but in such a small incremental way that you dont realize it at first, Thomas said. The only thing found was Calls car on the parkway. What were the Colonial Parkway Murders? At night its dark and isolated,making it an ideal spot for couples to be romantic discreetly. Their purses and money were found inside the car. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Joyce Call-Canada is the older sister of Keith Call. For two decades, the crime-scene pictures have been secret, critical evidence in the hunt for a serial murderer. Cathy had graduated from the U.S. The Colonial Parkway Murders The Colonial Parkway is a historic and scenic road that links together the three points of Virginia's Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. The bodies of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski were found near this location in October of 1986. The Colonial Parkway is a scenic, 23-mile stretch in Virginia that links the historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Lauers Chevrolet Nova was found on the westbound exit ramp, keys in the ignition, the next day. The Colonial Parkway is a historic and scenic road that links together the three points of Virginia's Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Remember, this was over 30 years ago in Virginia, which is a very conservative, military area. "[21], On January 15, 2021, the Oxygen Network announced that a four-part true crime series, Lovers Lane Murders would cover the Colonial Parkway murders. Call loved going to the beach and was especially fond of his car. This unwholesome section is grisly and malignant Youve been warned. Within the last five years, he has turned over dozens of tips. I feel like for my husband and my sister-in-laws sake well, really the whole family just wants to know what happened to their loved one, Jennifer Phelps, Annamaria Phelps sister-in-law, told Richmond.com. ", "Murder Accountability Project: Tracking America's unsolved homicides", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colonial_Parkway_murders&oldid=1110597999, This page was last edited on 16 September 2022, at 11:09. It was the last time they would be seen alive. Now, a team of former FBI special agents led by former FBI Profiler Jim Clemente intends . There is a possibility that the murders happened at the hand of a moral enforcer who viewed homosexuality, public sex, or a 20-year-old man with a teenaged girl as punishable acts, according to Clemente. But she left with great regret because she had hoped to have the kind of career that my dad had.". Were reverse engineering the family tree of this unknown person, and eventually their identity through the family tree with who they share DNA with one or two genealogy databases that we have access to, said Moore. (Photo by Scott Neville/ For The Washington Post via Getty Images), Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for February 11, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry suffered Hollywood 'miscalculation' with explosive tell-alls: experts, Jussie Smollett files appeal argument in hate crime hoax conviction, Michael B. Jordan apologized to his mom before steamy Calvin Klein underwear ad was released, Kristin Cavallari jokes shes 'heartless' for breaking up with guys over text: 'I know thats horrible', Gisele Bndchen shares tips for when 'life gets challenging': 'Remember that the sun rises everyday', Amy Grant says she leaned on her faith after horrific bike accident: Its helped me not be afraid. That kind of opens up the window for somebody else to come along and pick on them.. We have forensic genealogy available.". "I cant emphasize this enough, but there was a tremendous amount of resistance for those women joining the academy," Thomas explained. However, the string of murders that followed their deaths made them wonder whether a serial killer was involved. [25], On July 23, 2021, The Daily Beast published an article about the Colonial Parkway murders, primarily focusing on the murder of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski, the first known victims of the Colonial Parkway killer. For the past 15 years Janette Santiago, sister of Robin Edwards, has been the main point of contact for her family. The Colonial Parkway is a 23 mile (37km) scenic landscape/thoroughfare that links Virginia's Historic Triangle. Three days later, their bodies washed up onto the beach at Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge. Lauer needed to go back home to get his belongings, and Phelps decided to accompany him for the drive to see her own family in their hometown. But when the other crimes started taking place, year after year, youre just shocked This person may have a law enforcement background or at least understand how law enforcement works.". She had a soft side but there was a toughness, too, her brother, Bill Thomas, told the producers of Lovers Lane Murders.. Their families were devastated and shocked. Dowski, 21, was found in the backseat of the car while Cathy, 27, was stuffed into the hatchback. Despite the moniker the Colonial Parkway Murders, the time frame and proximity of the deaths, law enforcement has never conclusively linked the cases, leaving many, including the family members, to believe that some or all of the cases are connected or none at all. A critical future was the way the perpetrator might have approached them. She described Robin as a firecracker personality, who got along with everyone she met. She enjoyed going to the Gap and dressing well, whatever the trend was. William F. Thomas stands under an old oak tree at the Cheatham Annex pull off along the Colonial Parkway near Yorktown Tuesday afternoon, August 16,2016, holding a photo of his sister, Cathleen Thomas, a Naval Academy graduate who with Rebecca Dowski were the first of the murders along the Parkway that became known as the Colonial Parkway Murders. Both women were found with rope burns on their neck and wrist with signs of strangulation. Fred died in 2018, and whatever secrets he had died with him. As the agent at the beginning of this diabolical coverage said: What made these murders stand out was the complexity of them.. Was The Colonial Parkway Killer Pretending To Be Law Enforcement? After Lauers, car a gold 1972 Chevrolet Nova, was found abandoned on the I-64 New Kent rest stop, investigators combed the countryside looking for what was no doubt a fresh crime scene. The women were bound with rope and strangled. Speaking Russian was very important because they were, at the time, probably our top adversary in the world.". Series co-host Maureen OConnell, a former FBI special agent, sees telltale signs to support this theory. All the victims were from different backgrounds and demographics, making a profile an incredibly difficult task. Stephen. Author of Unburied: True Crime Shorts https://www.amazon.com/Unburied-Crime-Shorts-Quinn-Zane-ebook/dp/B0BK5BGSYY, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60693940, https://www.amazon.com/Unburied-Crime-Shorts-Quinn-Zane-ebook/dp/B0BK5BGSYY. Ryan Noah Yawel Criminal Psychologist. Hes made it a point to make himself available to the public, in case the right tip comes in. Cathy Thomas, 27, and Rebecca Dowski, 21, were strangled and had their throats cut in 1986; David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, were shot in 1987; Keith Call, 20, and Cassandra Hailey, 19, disappeared after a college party in 1988 and are still missing; and the remains of Annamaria Phelps, 18, and Daniel Lauer, 21, were found by hunters in 1989. I see the killer evolving, she said, not just in his methods but in his motives., Theory: A Serial Killer Was (Or Posed As) Law Enforcement, Stoking this belief is the fact that victims car windows were found rolled down at crime scenes, according to. And it pains me to think that 34 years have gone by now. Knobling lived in Hampton while he worked for his fathers landscaping business, and was expecting a baby with his longtime girlfriend. In 2007, the disappearance and presumed murder of Cassandra Hailey and Keith Call was featured in the Investigation Discovery program Sensing Murder, whereby investigators brought in psychics Pam Coronado and Laurie Campbell to gain new insights into the crimes. Their bodies uncovered in Virginias Shenandoah National Park. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. Lovers Lane Murders, a new four-part Oxygen series, uses fresh interviews with criminologists and victims family members as well as crime-scene reconstructions and analysis to puzzle out the still-unsolved Colonial Parkway murders. The realization that his sister, Cathleen Thomas, was murdered on a scenic Virginia roadway. "Some longtime law enforcement people have said to me that it was like the wild West out there at night because it was only patrolled every few hours," said Thomas. All rights reserved. The Colonial Parkway murders . Bill Thomas, a producer on Oxygen's 'Lovers' Lane Murders' is seen here with a portrait of his sister Cathy Thomas. Four double homicides occurred on or near the Colonial Parkway in Virginia during the 1980s. And remember, this was the 1980s. On September 20, 1987, Knoblings truck was found abandoned by the James River Bridge, Richmond.com reported. [citation needed], In January 2010, a team from FBI Norfolk and FBI Headquarters met with the victims' families to update them on the status of the investigation. Thomas had also entered a relationship with Dowski, and the two were known to regularly visit the area where they were murdered. Beckys wound isnt as deep as Cathys wound, Pettler added. The Colonial Parkway Murders A Tale of Two Killers? Map to show the parkway (B) Is where I believe two bodies were found, . To his knowledge, the DNA still has not been tested. Over the years things have changed, you know, my dad died and my mom mentally cant handle the stress of dealing with the case.. She was brilliant, beautiful and well-educated, but she was also thoughtful, modest and a deep thinker. PETER NYGARD ACCUSER EXPLAINS WHY SHE'S SPEAKING OUT IN NEW SHOCKING DOC: 'I HAVE NEVER BEEN QUIET ABOUT THIS', Bill Thomas, a producer on Oxygen's 'Lovers' Lane Murders' is seen here with a portrait of his sister Cathy Thomas. . Did The Colonial Parkway Victims Know The Killer? (Photo by Scott Neville/ For The Washington Post via Getty Images). Cathy Thomas would drive up from Virginia Beach to visit her girlfriend, Becky Dowski, at the College of William and Mary on Thursday nights. (Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press). Federal Bureau of Investigations Public Affairs Specialist Christina Pullen would not confirm the presence of DNA, whether it has been tested or any specifics on the ongoing case. For the the other half, the parents who have died, they will never see justice for their childrens deaths. According to Thomas, three out of the four cases have DNA evidence. The Parkway is surrounded by woods and has far fewer entries and exits than a typical highway. The Colonial Parkway Murders were a series of homicides that occurred between October 1986 and September 1989. Joyce Call-Canada is the older sister of Keith Call. Market data provided by Factset. After speaking for hours with Call-Canada about their family members cases, the pair began planning their efforts to pressure law enforcement. Phelps had been stabbed, but Lauers body was too decomposed to determine cause of death. The double homicides took play over a four-year span . Get extra footage on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mobileinstinctMy T-Shirts \u0026 Sweatshirts available here - https://shop.spreadshirt.com/mobileinstinct/ If you want to buy me a beer - https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/mobileinstinctAll of my videos are organized by state on my website https://www.TheMobileInstinct.com More videos on My Second Channel - https://www.youtube.com/mobileinstinct2INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/mobileinstinct New FACEBOOK page - Lets be friends - https://www.facebook.com/mobileinstinct*CHECK OUT these cool videos! He told Lovers Lane Murders that there may be links between the first and third murders, which are firmly tied to the Colonial Parkway. We understand that were not going to be at the front of the line, but to hear that evidence hasnt been tested in over a year is unacceptable, Thomas said. So it wasnt like Cathy and Becky could live their lives in any kind of open fashion. After that cycle, the killings abruptly stopped.. In 1986, a 23-mile scenic road run by the National Park Service in Virginia became indelibly linked with a series of double homicides that came to be called the Colonial Parkway murders. The analyzed DNA can then pinpoint the exact relation between those tested, allowing law enforcement agencies to narrow down their suspect pool and make an arrest. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. "I hope people will understand that the loss that weve suffered has not prevented us as families from continuing to focus on seeing some degree of justice done," Thomas, who serves as one of the shows producers, told Fox News. There's too many differences.". At least one of the badly decomposed bodies appears to have suffered knife wounds. Pressure Law Enforcement truck was found abandoned by the James River Bridge, Richmond.com reported,... Youve been warned Photo by Scott Neville/ for the Washington Post via Getty Images ) over dozens tips... 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